Share this Page

Rodgers: ‘We didn’t defend well at all’

Date published: Friday 30th January 2015 10:55

After three clean sheets and an unbeaten start to the season, morale was beginning to rise at Anfield after a disappointing 2014/15 campaign.
However, the Reds succumbed to the defensive errors which scuppered last season, with Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren both at fault for West Ham’s opening two goals for Manuel Lanzini and Mark Noble.
A third was added by Diafra Sakho in the dying minutes, and while Rodgers admitted his defence must improve, he added that mistakes “can happen”.
“The first goal is a cheap goal and that gave them a motivation and fight,” the Northern Irishman told BBC Sport. “The second was a mistake, which can happen.
“We didn’t defend moments well at all. We need to be much better than that. That opportunity to work the goalkeeper didn’t happen. We are disappointed but we’ll reflect on it and come back and look to win our next game.”
The clash also saw two red cards, one each for Philippe Coutinho – who will now miss the game against Manchester United after the international break – and Mark Noble.
Rodgers felt both dismissals did not warrant the punishments they received.
“Very harsh,” he told Sky Sports of the Coutinho red. “I thought both were.
“I don’t know what Philippe was booked for on the first one. And on the second one, you can see his two feet are nowhere near the player.
“Actually, their guy runs into Philippe so to get booked for that was very harsh.”
After watching his side’s first defeat of the season, Rodgers refused to panic, instead attributing the loss to a change in home records in the Premier League.
Manchester City were the only hosts to secure all three points this weekend; one of only seven games so far this season which has seen the home side victorious.
On this record, Rodgers added: “Teams are setting up differently away from home.
“They’re well organised and closing the spaces. Unless you can get that early goal it can be very difficult and that’s something you’ll see all season.
“Unfortunately for us we conceded the early goal which gave West Ham even more motivation to hang onto their lead.
“I think the first goal was critical. Obviously West Ham, like at Arsenal, were coming to sit and block, block, block and make it difficult for us. To then concede after only a few minutes was very disappointing.
“We then make a mistake for the second one. All of a sudden we’re 2-0 down. We didn’t have enough creativity to break them down.
“When we lose Coutinho it made it really, really difficult for us.